When I was working, my employer paid my health insurance. In addition, a health care expense reimbursement account was available that allowed me to set aside pre-tax money to cover the medical expenses not covered by my employer-paid insurance, including co-payment amounts. Those funds could also be used to fund over-the-counter health related items. As a result, I had very little medical expenses paid with after-tax funds.

Now, all my medical expenses are paid with after-tax funds from my fixed income. Being able to deduct these expenses helps toward leveling the playing field with those who have those expenses covered pre-tax.

TOM WILSON
Northwest Portland

Fighting pirates
The rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips from Somali pirates is very good news.

In order to prevent future such situations, U.S. Merchant Marine vessels and American flagged vessels should be armed. Seafarers serving aboard those ships should be trained in the use of those armaments, and be fully authorized to use whatever force necessary to defend their ships against any and all pirates.

BILL STEVENSON
North Portland

Piracy in context
While pirates taking hostages and endangering lives should never be condoned, it is important to place the recent stories in context.

After the Somalian government collapsed in the 1990s, the region has had little government authority to oversee its coastal regions. Other countries have exploited that fact.

Ships have illegally dumped barrels of radioactive material off their shores, causing malformed babies, radiation sickness and death. Fishing boats have relentlessly overfished the waters, creating food shortages for the local fishermen.

If we are serious about this much-publicized push to end piracy, we need to understand what has helped create this mindset in the first place and take steps to help with cleanup and recovery.

KEVIN D'HAEZE
Lake Oswego

Taxes for the common good
Plaudits and thanks to Jim McDermott for his much needed recognition of the responsibility of the well-off to pay a larger share for the common good ("Tax code divides us into haves, have-nots," April 12).

Unfortunately, there aren't many today with his sense of conscience and morality who see that taxes must be used to level the economic playing field.

Our nation never did better than when the very rich were taxed at 90 percent -- and they still did better than the vast majority of us mere mortals.

As a lawyer, he should know that he is not limited to paying only his calculated tax liability. He is free to pay more taxes to his heart's content.

What McDermott is really saying is: "I want to pay more taxes but only if I and
all others in my situation are legally required to do so." That is simply talking the talk, not walking the walk.

Imagine if the subject were charitable contributions instead of taxes. Anyone suggesting that he wants to contribute more but doesn't currently do it because he doesn't have to would be branded a hypocrite.

TOM HINSON
Southwest Portland

Bad call on CD rate change
Before retiring in 2007, I spent 36 years working for banks in downtown Portland. All of those banks, save one, are now gone due to merger or acquisition.

Through all of those changes, I cannot remember one instance where the bank for which I working adjusted the CD rates, mid-term, of an acquired bank, as Citizens Bank of Corvallis has done ("CDs secure, but no the rates," April 11).

Statements by Citizens Bank CEO William Humphreys Sr. that he "does not want to do business with people in Seaside" and that doing business with an "unsound" bank is a risk the customer takes are some of the most arrogant statements I have ever heard from a chief executive of any Oregon financial institution, past or present.

His attitude is akin to those held by executives of corporations that have gotten us into the financial morass that we are in today.

Humphreys may well rue the day when he expands his organization into other Oregon communities and those communities remember his words about not wanting deposits from outside "his community."

GARY WEINSTEIN
Southwest Portland

Paying by the pound
The market can cure obesity. Here's how:

It costs airlines extra jet fuel in America to lug all the extra fat around. Let the airlines charge a base rate for each person's healthy weight, say using the BMI calculation, and a dollar (or two or five) more for each extra pound. Everyone can make a choice to keep his money or his girth. Include luggage in the surcharge if that seems more fair.

Fat causes illness. Let HMOs charge a base rate for each person's healthy weight and a dollar more each month for each extra pound. To start the program, each person enrolls at a base rate. Each month that a heavy patient doesn't lose two pounds, the charge goes up five dollars until the fee matches the weight.